What can I say? The most miserable, yet most rewarding race of my career.
Full report can be found on the Refuse2Quit blog HERE.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
Wasatch, here I come!
Seriously Josh? Months and months of nothing to talk about? The truth is, I haven't had much to talk about because I've just been plugging along. I should have written up a race report for the Bryce 100 back at the end of May, but Craig did such a great write-up, I really didn't have much more to say than what he covered. You can read his report HERE if you want to hear about that adventure.
This training season has been quite a change from past years. Everyone needs a break, right? I've taken that to heart this year and gone with the "less is more" approach, meaning that I'm running less but feeling like I'm gaining more from it. We'll just say I'm really well rested. That's not to say that I haven't been running, but I've switched to fewer mid-week shorter runs and gone with more long runs on the weekends. My body likes it for sure, but in truth I've probably lost a little bit of speed because of it. I'm ok with that though. I've had the opportunity to get out on some great adventures with friends, such as running the entire Bryce 100 with three of my best friends, MVH's amazing Millwood 100 experience, the annual Quest For King's Marathon, introducing some trails virgins to their first run on the trails, and running Timp a couple times tonight with my friend Jennilyn. I've had some great runs by myself as well, but this year I've been trying to soak in more of the experience than just focusing on my own performances.
Craig has done a great series of write-ups over on trailandultrarunning.com that have really got me thinking as well. I've been known to make plenty of excuses in the past (and still make plenty in my own head), but I've really tried to limit them as much as possible this year. I've been going through lots of personal things in recent months, but instead of making excuses to other people, I've focused on internalizing them and grinding out runs when I wouldn't have in the past. It's been a game changer for sure. What's also made it easier is that I'm running fewer days and thus MUST make the days I do run count. No excuses. Refuse to quit.
With that said, I've got two weeks until Wasatch. I decided I want to run with pacers again this year (again, for the camaraderie), but I have no real time expectations this time around. I'll just go out and have some fun running with some friends all day long. Don't get wrong, this doesn't mean I won't push myself to have the best race possible, but I'm laying off the expectations I typically set and hopefully I come out with a good performance. Excited to soak it all in again! Best of luck to everyone running out there.
This training season has been quite a change from past years. Everyone needs a break, right? I've taken that to heart this year and gone with the "less is more" approach, meaning that I'm running less but feeling like I'm gaining more from it. We'll just say I'm really well rested. That's not to say that I haven't been running, but I've switched to fewer mid-week shorter runs and gone with more long runs on the weekends. My body likes it for sure, but in truth I've probably lost a little bit of speed because of it. I'm ok with that though. I've had the opportunity to get out on some great adventures with friends, such as running the entire Bryce 100 with three of my best friends, MVH's amazing Millwood 100 experience, the annual Quest For King's Marathon, introducing some trails virgins to their first run on the trails, and running Timp a couple times tonight with my friend Jennilyn. I've had some great runs by myself as well, but this year I've been trying to soak in more of the experience than just focusing on my own performances.
Craig has done a great series of write-ups over on trailandultrarunning.com that have really got me thinking as well. I've been known to make plenty of excuses in the past (and still make plenty in my own head), but I've really tried to limit them as much as possible this year. I've been going through lots of personal things in recent months, but instead of making excuses to other people, I've focused on internalizing them and grinding out runs when I wouldn't have in the past. It's been a game changer for sure. What's also made it easier is that I'm running fewer days and thus MUST make the days I do run count. No excuses. Refuse to quit.
With that said, I've got two weeks until Wasatch. I decided I want to run with pacers again this year (again, for the camaraderie), but I have no real time expectations this time around. I'll just go out and have some fun running with some friends all day long. Don't get wrong, this doesn't mean I won't push myself to have the best race possible, but I'm laying off the expectations I typically set and hopefully I come out with a good performance. Excited to soak it all in again! Best of luck to everyone running out there.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
A Quick Training Update
I feel like I finally turned a corner this past week. To be honest, for months I've been struggling with running. Between small nagging injuries, being sick (twice), and plenty of excuses, my training has not been where I would've liked throughout the winter. The good news is that I have several years of solid base behind me. I proved last year that I can come back pretty quickly after months of inconsistency. The bad news is that I've lost a good amount of speed... Something I can hopefully gain back in the next five weeks.
There have been a few things that really helped motivate me through my so-called "downtime".
The first was signing up for a race. For months I'd been planning on running the Antelope Island Buffalo Run 100 in late March. Once mid-January hit and I still wasn't running consistenly, I bagged the idea completely. Instead, I chose the Buffalo Run 50 miler; a race I've run twice before. I got into the race about 8 weeks out... Plenty of time for me to get ready. The bad news is I wasted the first couple weeks struggling with motivation, and once again lots of excuses. I still ran a bit, just not like I'd hoped. Then I finally hit my stride this past week running, that included a long run on Saturday which was the farthest I've run since October. Yikes!
The other thing that really helped was the Refuse2Quit.com crew. I haven't said anything to any of them about this, but seeing their pictures & videos and reading about their adventures the last few weeks has really boosted me! I was really bummed that I couldn't join them this past weekend in the San Rafael Swell (I actually couldn't have gone even if I was ready to run 30 miles), but watching this video got me excited about joining them for more adventures this year.
All five of us are running a version of the race out on the island March 23rd. I'm not expecting to beat my 7:39 from two years ago, but I would like to publicly state that I'm aiming for 8 hours. There! That should give me even more motivation to train hard over the next five weeks. It'll be tough, but what's the point in setting a low expectation? Shoot for the stars! I'm looking forward to the mayhem!
There have been a few things that really helped motivate me through my so-called "downtime".
The first was signing up for a race. For months I'd been planning on running the Antelope Island Buffalo Run 100 in late March. Once mid-January hit and I still wasn't running consistenly, I bagged the idea completely. Instead, I chose the Buffalo Run 50 miler; a race I've run twice before. I got into the race about 8 weeks out... Plenty of time for me to get ready. The bad news is I wasted the first couple weeks struggling with motivation, and once again lots of excuses. I still ran a bit, just not like I'd hoped. Then I finally hit my stride this past week running, that included a long run on Saturday which was the farthest I've run since October. Yikes!
The other thing that really helped was the Refuse2Quit.com crew. I haven't said anything to any of them about this, but seeing their pictures & videos and reading about their adventures the last few weeks has really boosted me! I was really bummed that I couldn't join them this past weekend in the San Rafael Swell (I actually couldn't have gone even if I was ready to run 30 miles), but watching this video got me excited about joining them for more adventures this year.
All five of us are running a version of the race out on the island March 23rd. I'm not expecting to beat my 7:39 from two years ago, but I would like to publicly state that I'm aiming for 8 hours. There! That should give me even more motivation to train hard over the next five weeks. It'll be tough, but what's the point in setting a low expectation? Shoot for the stars! I'm looking forward to the mayhem!
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Learning By Mistake
I wrote my first article for Refuse2Quit: A reflection of my 2012 season and the plans I have to make 2013 a much better year. You can check it out here: http://www.refuse2quit.com/2013/01/learning-by-mistake.html
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Some Catching Up and Exciting News
My apologies for taking entirely too long to post anything. Truth be told, I haven't had much to say the last few months because I haven't been running much. Three weeks after Wasatch I paced my dad the back half of the Bear 100 and helped him get a sub-30 hour finish; something he never dreamed possible. Huge congrats to him on grinding through some tough spots and getting his first 100 mile finish (on his first attempt as well)!
A few weeks after pacing him I noticed an acute pain under my left foot, at the base of my middle toe. I took a week off then did a 15 mile weekend run on it which only aggravated things more. Typical sign of a classic overuse injury: stress fracture. So I ended up taking 6 weeks off completely, and I'm now just getting back to running. I probably should've done some elliptical or spinning to keep my fitness up, but truth be told it was a good excuse to recharge the batteries in preparation for next season. So now I'm back to running about every other day and I'm working on getting a very solid base to ramp up training in the new year.
My time off also gave me some time to think about what I'm doing next year. I'll save my actual goals for another post, but I'm definitely setting a bar for myself in the "Ambitious" category... I'll just leave it at that.
And for some exciting news: Good running friend Craig Lloyd has asked me to be a contributor on his ultra blog Refuse2Quit.com. Hopefully we'll be able to offer up some good content for you to check out. We're especially focusing on some of the adventures our crew has together, and hopefully we'll be offering up lots of cool videos and pictures to keep your eyes entertained. So make sure you keep an eye on the happenings at Refuse2Quit.com and follow us or subscribe via RSS.
A few weeks after pacing him I noticed an acute pain under my left foot, at the base of my middle toe. I took a week off then did a 15 mile weekend run on it which only aggravated things more. Typical sign of a classic overuse injury: stress fracture. So I ended up taking 6 weeks off completely, and I'm now just getting back to running. I probably should've done some elliptical or spinning to keep my fitness up, but truth be told it was a good excuse to recharge the batteries in preparation for next season. So now I'm back to running about every other day and I'm working on getting a very solid base to ramp up training in the new year.
My time off also gave me some time to think about what I'm doing next year. I'll save my actual goals for another post, but I'm definitely setting a bar for myself in the "Ambitious" category... I'll just leave it at that.
And for some exciting news: Good running friend Craig Lloyd has asked me to be a contributor on his ultra blog Refuse2Quit.com. Hopefully we'll be able to offer up some good content for you to check out. We're especially focusing on some of the adventures our crew has together, and hopefully we'll be offering up lots of cool videos and pictures to keep your eyes entertained. So make sure you keep an eye on the happenings at Refuse2Quit.com and follow us or subscribe via RSS.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Wasatch 100 2012
Everything was a blur... One minute I’m sitting at work, plugging away on a project. The next minute I’m at my friend Matt’s house, laughing with friends and enjoying a nice BBQ on a beautiful summer evening. Aside from the pre-race meeting situated somewhere in there, it was a fairly typical weekend summer night for me. When I’m forced out of bed by the alarm at 3:40 am the next morning though, it got real. Fast. This was the morning I’ve been training for; my “A” race for the year: The Wasatch 100.
When I was selected into the race back in February, I had decided that this was the year to run under the elusive 24-hour mark. I had nothing to hold me back from working to achieve my goal. As with anything in life though, things typically don’t play out the way we fantasize in our heads. As such, I was essentially on the injured list from January to the end of June. I had a few nice runs mixed in there, but no solid training block to really speak of. With only about 10 weeks of real training – and having to start from scratch – I knew it would be very tough to achieve that 24 hour mark. Being the realist that I am, I adjusted my race goal for 26 hours. I felt like this was a mark I could hit based on my level of fitness on race day.
The Start - photo by Petzl
After the usual morning rituals, Matt drove me, Craig, and Scott to the starting line. Before I knew it, the countdown had ended and we were off. The first few miles went off with no major problems, but around mile 3 I mentioned to Scott (who was running next to me from the start) that I was feeling winded. I didn’t have that pep that I like to feel in my legs on race day. So I decided to take a gel. It didn’t sit well... At all. Welcome to the theme of my race. I have an incredibly iron stomach though, so I never threw up or got violently ill… Food just didn’t sit well for the first 85 miles of the race. I’d feel really good for a bit, followed by nausea for a bit. All. Day. Long.
I was mentally defeated by the time I hit the first aid station at mile 19, just 4 hours into my run. Luckily, Scott was still right next to me and we continued to work through some highs and lows together over the first 40 miles of the race. Huge credit to Scott for keeping me going! Without him, I would have been broken and my race would have probably collapsed entirely.
Scott and I sharing a high five at Big Mountain - photo by Lori Burlison
I arrived to my smiling crew (mom & dad) and they got me situated and back out onto the course. Scott picked up his pacer here at Big Mountain (mile 40) and I continued on solo. I followed them for just over a mile, but started feeling good and decided to go on ahead. About 2 miles after I passed them though, I hit another low spot. This time my unhappy stomach and general fatigue were accompanied by a tight chest, and very shallow breathing. I tried some breathing techniques to turn things around, but nothing was working.
I trotted into Alexander Springs (mile 47) completely deflated. I was sure my race was over. I talked to a medic about my situation since I was unsure what was happening to me. They had no answers, but also informed me that I wasn’t allowed to drop here. I had to go on to Lambs Canyon (mile 53) in order to drop. Six more miles? Are you kidding me? So, I made an educated guess as to what my problem was and immediately took in two 20 ounce bottles of water, 12 ounces of GU Brew electrolyte drink, and five – yes, I said five – salt pills; one of which I broke open and poured down my throat. Then I got up and left.
Now I was faced with the most exposed section of the course, in the heat of the day, while feeling absolutely terrible. Wow, things are just getting better for this guy! I walked for about 10 minutes then things slowly started to turn around. My shallow breathing dissipated, my chest was feeling normal, and I had some good energy. So I ran a little. And it felt good. I continued to make my way into Lambs Canyon and arrived to my crew cheering me on. I pounded a whole bunch of water (I was down 8 pounds here), changed my shirt, ate a few things, then immediately started feeling nauseous again. I sat for a minute and tried to recover, but nothing worked. So I did the smart thing and left. Wait, did I just say that? Yeah, I knew I’d bounce back eventually so I just left before I got stuck here. Just before I started the long climb up the Lambs Canyon trail I started feeling good again.
The miles from Lambs Canyon (mile 53) to Brighton (mile 75) were good for me. Aside from another queasy stomach episode at Desolation Lake (mile 67), I made good time through here, with nothing of significance to report. I arrived to cheers at Brighton from my crew. It was also good to see Kelli (who will run Wasatch one day), as well as my friend Darrell there also. My family and friends were keeping me in good spirits here so I spent a little extra time just to enjoy the moment with them. Thanks Mom, Dad, Shirley, Brittany, Brian, Tyler, Matt, and Kelli… You guys were so awesome!
Originally I was going to run the race solo. However, after the day I’d had, I knew I needed some mental support throughout the night, so at Lambs Canyon I told my dad to be ready at Brighton for the last 25. And good thing I had him there with me! He kept my spirits up and kept me focused on the task at hand. He also kept me awake when I was going through a seriously intense patch of sleepiness. I knew the 26 hour goal was out of reach, so my focus was to beat my time from two years ago: 28:59. We worked our way through the aid stations and had a blast just being out there. We ran into some friends along the way, including Matt Van Horn who I’d leap frog for the last 15 miles. He and I would end up finishing about 5 minutes apart.
After eating a gel around mile 85 and nearly puking, I quit eating gels altogether and stuck to GU Chomps. They worked and I never got queasy again. Had I figured this out earlier, my race could have been much different. Hindsight is always 20/20 though, right?! Aside from doing something to my foot with about 5 miles to go, the last few hours went really well. I stayed hydrated, ate well, and continued plugging along en route to the finish. I was elated to hit the grass and run under the finish line with so many people there cheering me on! I had done it. The journey ended 28 hours and 37 minutes after I had started.
The finish - photo by Lori Burlison
In all honesty, I’m more proud of this finish than any other thus far. I knew I didn’t have it from mile 3, but I persevered throughout the day and made it to the finish line. Elation is a good word to describe the way I felt. Thanks to all my family and friends who supported me, and continually do so in my daily life. You guys are the best! Also, a big shout out to the volunteers that make this race happen. They are the best, most organized group of any race I’ve had the pleasure of running. And finally, a huge congratulations to all those who finished! The camaraderie at ultra running events really sets the bar. It’s due to the hard work, diligence, pain, and suffering that we all go through out there. And we do it together.
When I was selected into the race back in February, I had decided that this was the year to run under the elusive 24-hour mark. I had nothing to hold me back from working to achieve my goal. As with anything in life though, things typically don’t play out the way we fantasize in our heads. As such, I was essentially on the injured list from January to the end of June. I had a few nice runs mixed in there, but no solid training block to really speak of. With only about 10 weeks of real training – and having to start from scratch – I knew it would be very tough to achieve that 24 hour mark. Being the realist that I am, I adjusted my race goal for 26 hours. I felt like this was a mark I could hit based on my level of fitness on race day.
I was mentally defeated by the time I hit the first aid station at mile 19, just 4 hours into my run. Luckily, Scott was still right next to me and we continued to work through some highs and lows together over the first 40 miles of the race. Huge credit to Scott for keeping me going! Without him, I would have been broken and my race would have probably collapsed entirely.
I arrived to my smiling crew (mom & dad) and they got me situated and back out onto the course. Scott picked up his pacer here at Big Mountain (mile 40) and I continued on solo. I followed them for just over a mile, but started feeling good and decided to go on ahead. About 2 miles after I passed them though, I hit another low spot. This time my unhappy stomach and general fatigue were accompanied by a tight chest, and very shallow breathing. I tried some breathing techniques to turn things around, but nothing was working.
I trotted into Alexander Springs (mile 47) completely deflated. I was sure my race was over. I talked to a medic about my situation since I was unsure what was happening to me. They had no answers, but also informed me that I wasn’t allowed to drop here. I had to go on to Lambs Canyon (mile 53) in order to drop. Six more miles? Are you kidding me? So, I made an educated guess as to what my problem was and immediately took in two 20 ounce bottles of water, 12 ounces of GU Brew electrolyte drink, and five – yes, I said five – salt pills; one of which I broke open and poured down my throat. Then I got up and left.
On the way to Alexander Spring - photo by Lori Burlison
Now I was faced with the most exposed section of the course, in the heat of the day, while feeling absolutely terrible. Wow, things are just getting better for this guy! I walked for about 10 minutes then things slowly started to turn around. My shallow breathing dissipated, my chest was feeling normal, and I had some good energy. So I ran a little. And it felt good. I continued to make my way into Lambs Canyon and arrived to my crew cheering me on. I pounded a whole bunch of water (I was down 8 pounds here), changed my shirt, ate a few things, then immediately started feeling nauseous again. I sat for a minute and tried to recover, but nothing worked. So I did the smart thing and left. Wait, did I just say that? Yeah, I knew I’d bounce back eventually so I just left before I got stuck here. Just before I started the long climb up the Lambs Canyon trail I started feeling good again.
The miles from Lambs Canyon (mile 53) to Brighton (mile 75) were good for me. Aside from another queasy stomach episode at Desolation Lake (mile 67), I made good time through here, with nothing of significance to report. I arrived to cheers at Brighton from my crew. It was also good to see Kelli (who will run Wasatch one day), as well as my friend Darrell there also. My family and friends were keeping me in good spirits here so I spent a little extra time just to enjoy the moment with them. Thanks Mom, Dad, Shirley, Brittany, Brian, Tyler, Matt, and Kelli… You guys were so awesome!
My crew and I at Brighton
Originally I was going to run the race solo. However, after the day I’d had, I knew I needed some mental support throughout the night, so at Lambs Canyon I told my dad to be ready at Brighton for the last 25. And good thing I had him there with me! He kept my spirits up and kept me focused on the task at hand. He also kept me awake when I was going through a seriously intense patch of sleepiness. I knew the 26 hour goal was out of reach, so my focus was to beat my time from two years ago: 28:59. We worked our way through the aid stations and had a blast just being out there. We ran into some friends along the way, including Matt Van Horn who I’d leap frog for the last 15 miles. He and I would end up finishing about 5 minutes apart.
After eating a gel around mile 85 and nearly puking, I quit eating gels altogether and stuck to GU Chomps. They worked and I never got queasy again. Had I figured this out earlier, my race could have been much different. Hindsight is always 20/20 though, right?! Aside from doing something to my foot with about 5 miles to go, the last few hours went really well. I stayed hydrated, ate well, and continued plugging along en route to the finish. I was elated to hit the grass and run under the finish line with so many people there cheering me on! I had done it. The journey ended 28 hours and 37 minutes after I had started.
In all honesty, I’m more proud of this finish than any other thus far. I knew I didn’t have it from mile 3, but I persevered throughout the day and made it to the finish line. Elation is a good word to describe the way I felt. Thanks to all my family and friends who supported me, and continually do so in my daily life. You guys are the best! Also, a big shout out to the volunteers that make this race happen. They are the best, most organized group of any race I’ve had the pleasure of running. And finally, a huge congratulations to all those who finished! The camaraderie at ultra running events really sets the bar. It’s due to the hard work, diligence, pain, and suffering that we all go through out there. And we do it together.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Utah's Triple Crown
Last month, I headed up to Utah's Uinta Mountains to attempt the Triple Crown - Utah's three highest peaks - with good friend Scott Wesemann. We were also there in support of our friend Craig who was going for the FKT (Fastest Known Time) on the Triple Crown, but we knew we wouldn't see much of him. You can read about Craig's amazing accomplishment HERE. Scott and I ran into some weather on that trip and we were only able to tag the third tallest summit: Gilbert Peak.
Every August Craig holds a fun run up to King's Peak which is known as the Quest For King's Marathon. I decided that instead of running Quest For King's this year, I needed to redeem myself and finish the Triple Crown that I'd failed to complete last month. Scott agreed and he decided to join me. So on Friday, August 10th, Scott, Craig, Matt, and myself headed up to Henry's Fork where we'd set up camp, then begin our adventure the next morning.
Scott and I were on our way just before 5:00 am, with the Quest For King's runners starting about 2 hours after us. It had rained all night so the conditions were really sloppy, so we were slow to the first major stop at Elkhorn Crossing (mile 5). We dropped our headlamps and extra layers here and proceeded on towards our goal. With the chance of running into afternoon showers again, we decided that we wanted to tag King's first this time since we'd already done Gilbert this year. And let's be honest, Gilbert is a miserable, boring, worthless mountain! We made steady progress up to King's, running into lots of hikers and also a few bull moose along the way, and finally summitting at a few minutes under 4 hours. We were right on track.
The ridge between King's and South King's isn't too bad, although the loose boulders make for a very interesting descent going both ways. After cursing the rocks, we decided that we'd summit King's again in order to go back down the well-traveled trail that leads up to King's Peak, rather than go down the face of it. I think it was a good call on our part because we moved quite slow through those loose boulder sections.
At the bottom of the chute up to Gilbert, I had to stop to make a few adjustments and take a nature break. Scott continued on up the chute without me. By the time I was done, he had a few hundred yards on me so I knew I need to blast up the chute. So that's exactly what I did! I flew up the side of that mountain, eventually passing Scott and putting another 50 yards or so on him. Why couldn't my legs have felt like this 2 weeks ago at Speedgoat??? I stopped at the spring and waited for Scott to catch up. We filled our packs and bottles for the last time, then continued slowly up towards Gilbert.
Gilbert sucks! There's something like 5 false summits which are a complete mindjob. Ugh! Add relentless winds and cold temperatures and this made for one helluva day to try to summit this mountain. I got too far ahead of Scott at one point, and while I was waiting for him I had to hunker down between some boulders to get away from the wind... I was absolutely freezing! We slowly made our way up the mountain and eventually summitted for the third and final peak of the day. There were two other people already on the summit that were kind enough to take our picture.
Every August Craig holds a fun run up to King's Peak which is known as the Quest For King's Marathon. I decided that instead of running Quest For King's this year, I needed to redeem myself and finish the Triple Crown that I'd failed to complete last month. Scott agreed and he decided to join me. So on Friday, August 10th, Scott, Craig, Matt, and myself headed up to Henry's Fork where we'd set up camp, then begin our adventure the next morning.
Scott and I were on our way just before 5:00 am, with the Quest For King's runners starting about 2 hours after us. It had rained all night so the conditions were really sloppy, so we were slow to the first major stop at Elkhorn Crossing (mile 5). We dropped our headlamps and extra layers here and proceeded on towards our goal. With the chance of running into afternoon showers again, we decided that we wanted to tag King's first this time since we'd already done Gilbert this year. And let's be honest, Gilbert is a miserable, boring, worthless mountain! We made steady progress up to King's, running into lots of hikers and also a few bull moose along the way, and finally summitting at a few minutes under 4 hours. We were right on track.
First bull moose we saw
On the summit of King's Peak
On the summit of South King's Peak
Just after we came off the top of King's for the second time, we saw Craig and Matt coming up. They were both moving really well. The four of us ran the next several miles together until me and Scott hit our turnoff to go up to Gilbert. The boys went on to finish Quest For King's in under 7 hours... Very impressive!
Craig and Matt running with me just off King's Peak (background)
Making my way up the chute towards Gilbert
Scott and I on the summit of Gilbert Peak
The descent was slow and grinding. We were both pretty low on energy so we took our time. The last 5 miles - known as the death march - were exactly that. We eventually popped out onto the trailhead and completed our mission by signing the trail registry. After spending nearly half our day grinding out the section from Gilbert to the finish, we finally made it. Our time of 13:39:54 was absolutely pathetic, but we had a worthwhile day out there. I only say worthwhile because while it was fun talking and bantering, and great training for Wasatch in a few weeks, I will never, EVER do that again!
Monday, July 30, 2012
2012 Speedgoat 50K
I know how tough this race is because I ran it two years ago. I wasn't very pleased with that performance and felt like I'd made too many mistakes. That was my main motivation in running it again this year; I wanted to go back and redeem myself. My training has been sub-par this year though. After being injured from January thru mid-June I was afraid I may not even be able to run this race. The few weeks leading up to it however, were positive so I decided that worst case, this would be a great tune-up for Wasatch.
My race can be summarized into four sections:
Section 1. Miles 1 - 8
My legs felt well-rested the morning of the race, but as we began making our way up the first climb, I felt like I was putting in way too much effort for the speed I was moving. By the first mile I knew it wasn't going to be my day. As I crested the first climb at mile 8, I was right on my goal target of two hours. However, my legs were done and I was feeling spent. Basically, not the way you should feel a quarter of the way into a race.
Section 2. Miles 8 - 15
I thought I'd see if I could turn things around on the descent into Mineral Basin, which I did. I kept a moderate pace and basically just followed the guy in front of me. Then we hit Mary Ellen Gulch and I took off. This is one place where people take it pretty easy due to the nasty terrain, but I knew that with the upcoming climb I'd need to find some time wherever I could. I hit the Pacific Mine aid station feeling well, grabbed a popsicle then started the climb out of American Fork Canyon.
Section 3. Miles 15 - 23
The climb out of American Fork itself is several miles long and just plain miserable. To make matters worse, I still wasn't able to find my uphill gear. I got passed at least 5 times in this section, one of the passers was good friend Matt Van Horn who went on to finish in 8:11. He hung and talked with me for a minute, but then motored on ahead to catch some people. I wish I could've joined him, but I just didn't have it in my legs. Frustrating! After topping off with water at Larry's Hole, I continued onto the climb up Baldy. This was so steep and took every thing I had outta me. My uphill gear was weak, but my steep uphill gear was almost non-existent! Then just as I'm coming off the top I felt my IT Band tighten up. One more thing to add to my list of problems. Now I couldn't go fast uphill or downhill.
Section 4. Miles 23 - Mile 32
I was getting close. From the Tunnel at mile 23 I ran the downhill as fast as I could, but then my stomach started acting up so I slowed down, which was also good for my knee. I eventually hit the next climb to Hidden Peak. No one passed me on the climb, but I did stop at one point when I spotted Mark and Andrea behind me. I waited for them and we climbed to the top, basically together. After one last refill, I started my slow decent to the finish. My knee was really starting to bother me, but it wasn't worth risking a long-term injury again. I took my sweet time to the finish and was passed by at least 8 other runners (including Mark and Andrea). When the finish line came around I was just happy to see it and happy to see my family and my girlfriend there waiting for me.
I learned a lot out there. Most importantly I learned that you can't expect to have what you don't work for. I worked plenty hard over the last few weeks to have a good race. The problem though, is that ultrarunning requires hard work over a long period of time... We're talking months and years here; not days and weeks. Luckily, I have a six week block to work with prior to Wasatch. Even with that amount of time though, I'm being realistic with myself and I'm adjusting my "finish time goal" to just a "finish" goal at Wasatch.
A few thoughts that went through my mind while running out there.
My race can be summarized into four sections:
Section 1. Miles 1 - 8
My legs felt well-rested the morning of the race, but as we began making our way up the first climb, I felt like I was putting in way too much effort for the speed I was moving. By the first mile I knew it wasn't going to be my day. As I crested the first climb at mile 8, I was right on my goal target of two hours. However, my legs were done and I was feeling spent. Basically, not the way you should feel a quarter of the way into a race.
Section 2. Miles 8 - 15
I thought I'd see if I could turn things around on the descent into Mineral Basin, which I did. I kept a moderate pace and basically just followed the guy in front of me. Then we hit Mary Ellen Gulch and I took off. This is one place where people take it pretty easy due to the nasty terrain, but I knew that with the upcoming climb I'd need to find some time wherever I could. I hit the Pacific Mine aid station feeling well, grabbed a popsicle then started the climb out of American Fork Canyon.
Section 3. Miles 15 - 23
The climb out of American Fork itself is several miles long and just plain miserable. To make matters worse, I still wasn't able to find my uphill gear. I got passed at least 5 times in this section, one of the passers was good friend Matt Van Horn who went on to finish in 8:11. He hung and talked with me for a minute, but then motored on ahead to catch some people. I wish I could've joined him, but I just didn't have it in my legs. Frustrating! After topping off with water at Larry's Hole, I continued onto the climb up Baldy. This was so steep and took every thing I had outta me. My uphill gear was weak, but my steep uphill gear was almost non-existent! Then just as I'm coming off the top I felt my IT Band tighten up. One more thing to add to my list of problems. Now I couldn't go fast uphill or downhill.
Section 4. Miles 23 - Mile 32
I was getting close. From the Tunnel at mile 23 I ran the downhill as fast as I could, but then my stomach started acting up so I slowed down, which was also good for my knee. I eventually hit the next climb to Hidden Peak. No one passed me on the climb, but I did stop at one point when I spotted Mark and Andrea behind me. I waited for them and we climbed to the top, basically together. After one last refill, I started my slow decent to the finish. My knee was really starting to bother me, but it wasn't worth risking a long-term injury again. I took my sweet time to the finish and was passed by at least 8 other runners (including Mark and Andrea). When the finish line came around I was just happy to see it and happy to see my family and my girlfriend there waiting for me.
I learned a lot out there. Most importantly I learned that you can't expect to have what you don't work for. I worked plenty hard over the last few weeks to have a good race. The problem though, is that ultrarunning requires hard work over a long period of time... We're talking months and years here; not days and weeks. Luckily, I have a six week block to work with prior to Wasatch. Even with that amount of time though, I'm being realistic with myself and I'm adjusting my "finish time goal" to just a "finish" goal at Wasatch.
A few thoughts that went through my mind while running out there.
- Lining up next to some of the best mountain runners in the world is inspiring!
- 5 weeks of consistent running (after 5 months of injury) is not long enough to get ready to RACE a tough race like the Speedgoat 50K. It's just not.
- Don't blow out your legs at the beginning of the race just because you're in a position you think you SHOULD be in. Your legs will tell you where you should be.
- Running with a waist pack and one handheld is the most efficient way (for me) to run an ultra.
- Having good friends working the aid stops can be a huge benefit. Thanks Bryce, Lynette, Larry, Mike, and Shane.
- When you know you don't have an uphill gear, pass as many people as you can on the downhills.
- When you do have to climb a hill, climb as hard as you can.
- Just talking to friends (even as they pass you) can be uplifting. Congrats to all of you that finished!
- This year's course is at least 30 minutes slower than the course I ran two years ago.
- Don't get frustrated when old injuries flare up. Just stay positive and keep moving forward.
- Once you realize your goal is out of reach, just enjoy the moment. Take it all in because you won't be out there much longer.
- Be thankful for those who support you. That includes volunteers, friends, family, and fellow runners.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Time For An Update
Can't believe it's been almost two months since the last post. I've got all sorts of excuses but I'll spare anyone who actually reads this. The one piece of good personal news to report is that my divorce is final as of last week. Glad to have that behind me! So where to begin...
Zion was a good indication that things were on the mend. My nagging ITBS problem and my mostly healed ankle felt really good after the trip. Like, really good! Even my legs weren't very sore afterward, which was quite surprising considering I hadn't run more than 17 miles since January. Leave it to me to mess things up, though! The very first long-ish run I did after Zion was a 10 miler, marking the course for the HOMM Marathon up Butterfield Canyon with Craig and Matt. The run went really well until - with about a mile left to go - I decided to face plant on the trail. I went down so hard that I jumped right back up and finished the run. I knew if I sat there I'd stiffen up and my friends would have to carry me out. I ended up with a 3/4 inch gash on my kneecap that went through to the bone and an enormous bruise.
Here I sit nearly two months after that incident and my knee is still swollen. It took 3 weeks to even walk normal again, then another week or so to finally get running again. So there you have it; 5 months worth of injuries for this guy! I'm happy to report (knock on wood) that I'm injury free and I've been back in training again for a full month. I feel like my fitness is finally coming back slowly as well. All great indications for the fun-filled summer I have ahead.
Unfortunately, I won't be in top shape to run Speedgoat hard in 2 and half weeks. I'm ok with that though; I'll just run it as a really nice training run. Yeah, I just used the word "nice" in conjunction with Speedgoat... I'm losing my marbles.
I'm heading up tomorrow a.m. to run Utah's Triple Crown with Craig and Scott. It should be an adventure! I'll have some nice pics and a short write-up to post upon my return.
Zion was a good indication that things were on the mend. My nagging ITBS problem and my mostly healed ankle felt really good after the trip. Like, really good! Even my legs weren't very sore afterward, which was quite surprising considering I hadn't run more than 17 miles since January. Leave it to me to mess things up, though! The very first long-ish run I did after Zion was a 10 miler, marking the course for the HOMM Marathon up Butterfield Canyon with Craig and Matt. The run went really well until - with about a mile left to go - I decided to face plant on the trail. I went down so hard that I jumped right back up and finished the run. I knew if I sat there I'd stiffen up and my friends would have to carry me out. I ended up with a 3/4 inch gash on my kneecap that went through to the bone and an enormous bruise.
Here I sit nearly two months after that incident and my knee is still swollen. It took 3 weeks to even walk normal again, then another week or so to finally get running again. So there you have it; 5 months worth of injuries for this guy! I'm happy to report (knock on wood) that I'm injury free and I've been back in training again for a full month. I feel like my fitness is finally coming back slowly as well. All great indications for the fun-filled summer I have ahead.
Unfortunately, I won't be in top shape to run Speedgoat hard in 2 and half weeks. I'm ok with that though; I'll just run it as a really nice training run. Yeah, I just used the word "nice" in conjunction with Speedgoat... I'm losing my marbles.
I'm heading up tomorrow a.m. to run Utah's Triple Crown with Craig and Scott. It should be an adventure! I'll have some nice pics and a short write-up to post upon my return.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
Craig's Trans Zion Double
Over the weekend I went down to Zion to help Craig Lloyd with his Zion Double Traverse attempt; a total of 96 miles and over 20K’ of vert. I committed to helping him out even though I've been on the disabled list since January. First a bum ankle, then some IT Band problems have put me in the worst shape of my running career. I'd run a grand total of 34 miles in the 5 weeks leading up to Zion. Did I think I could do an entire single traverse of 48 miles? You bet I did; as long as the knee would hold up. Yeah, I'm officially an idiot!
At the advice of my friend Bryce, I started going to A.R.T. sessions 3 weeks ago for my knee. These sessions have really helped me regain some elasticity in my IT Band and assisted in getting back into running form. I’ve also been doing a ton of hip strengthening exercises to assist in recovery. However, as of the day we left for Zion, my IT Band was still snapping over my knee. I was extremely worried about how my run would go.
Five of us ended up going down; myself, Scott, Matt, MattVH, and Craig. Matt and I would run with Craig the first half, and then VH and Scott would run with him the second half. Normally this would be the perfect game plan, but I was not even close to being in shape for this type of run and Matt was on the tail end of a virus. After dropping Matt within the first two miles, Craig and I worked through the next few together.
The reality of my situation became apparent after about 5 miles though. Craig was running strong and he absolutely buried me into the ground. I eventually lost sight of him, so I decided to make a push to catch him. However, in the heat of the moment I missed a turn. In all honesty, I might have the absolute worst sense of direction of any human being on the planet! I looked over maps before the trip and noted key corners, but in the thick of it I just completely blew it! I ran up a narrow canyon, crossing back and forth over the creek. I kept looking for the distinct shoe print of the Altra Lone Peaks that Craig was wearing, but with so much water it was almost impossible to make anything out, so I continued on. I eventually hit a dead end so I turned around and went up another canyon. The walls continued to get narrower and I eventually came to a waterfall with a wall behind it. Foiled again! I decided I was in the wrong place. Duh!
I ran back to the last spot where I saw another trail intersecting. I ran back and forth along this 1.5 mile section for the next hour. I had no regard for myself as I was in a complete panic. Looking for Craig’s shoe print was now impossible since I was wearing Lone Peaks as well and I’d covered every inch of ground in this section. I was running through the creek in spots and even got up to my waist in water at one point. It was on… my mind was the epitome of full blown chaos! Eventually, I stopped for a few minutes to gather my thoughts. My next move was to start running back and forth across the bottom of the canyon until I found someone. Eventually, I ran into some hikers who gave me directions and I finally made it out. By the time I found the trail again, I had lost about 2 hours and 20 minutes. I was now 4 hours into my “run” and I’d been out of water for more than an hour, just as it was starting to get hot. I was so physically, emotionally, and mentally drained that I just started crying like a little girl.
I’d like to be clear about one thing here; I was not panicked because I was scared for my life or scared of being alone out there. I’m experienced with survival in the outdoors so those types of thoughts never crossed my mind. I was panicked because I didn’t want to be the jerk that blew it for Craig. I also didn’t want to make my friends – or even worse, Search & Rescue – have to come find me because I was an idiot.
It took everything in my power to get back. My worry now was that the crew would need to move on to Craig’s next checkpoint and that I’d have to hitch a ride or something. I pushed as hard as I could possibly go. Coming into Hop Valley it had now been over 2 hours since I’d had water and it was starting to get hot. There wasn’t a reliable water source, but I knew I had to drink so I drank out of a very unsafe water source. I’ll choose some stomach issues over heatstroke any day of the week!
Once I got to within a mile and a half of the trailhead, some ladies on horseback came along on the trail. They immediately asked “Are you Josh?” I was so relieved to see them and they had some water and granola bars for me. The best part was they had a phone and called my crew. The boys were literally one minute away from taking off. Scott was on his way to meet me and I eventually made it back safe.
I was pissed off at myself more than anything. I really wanted to complete the whole traverse, but it clearly became out of the question. I should have ran the back half with Craig instead of trying to keep up with him when he was fresh. In all honesty though, it was probably a blessing in disguise. My IT Band didn’t bother me at all on this run and going any further than I did could have done some major damage. I’m glad I didn’t go back out.
I spent the majority of the rest of my trip helping Matt crew. We had a lot of fun even though we made some really poor decisions along the way, like trying to drive up the canyon in the van and getting pulled over by a ranger. Stupid!
All in all, a fun experience, even though I don’t want a repeat of getting lost like that again. It would have been so much more fun being lost (did I really just say that?) had I not had a deadline to meet. I don’t ever wish to experience full blown panic like that again, that’s for sure! Next time I do something like this I’ll take either a map, or make sure to memorize one before I go out.
Ended up with somewhere between 25 and 28 miles, so I'm calling it 26. I'm so excited that my knee held up and even more excited that I get to actually start running again!
For details about how the other boys trips went, go check out their blogs:
Craig
Scott
Matt
MattVH
Their write-ups are in so much detail that I won't even try to replicate their experiences. Huge congrats to Mr. Lloyd for completing the double crossing! What an amazing feat!
At the advice of my friend Bryce, I started going to A.R.T. sessions 3 weeks ago for my knee. These sessions have really helped me regain some elasticity in my IT Band and assisted in getting back into running form. I’ve also been doing a ton of hip strengthening exercises to assist in recovery. However, as of the day we left for Zion, my IT Band was still snapping over my knee. I was extremely worried about how my run would go.
Five of us ended up going down; myself, Scott, Matt, MattVH, and Craig. Matt and I would run with Craig the first half, and then VH and Scott would run with him the second half. Normally this would be the perfect game plan, but I was not even close to being in shape for this type of run and Matt was on the tail end of a virus. After dropping Matt within the first two miles, Craig and I worked through the next few together.
Cruising along about a mile before I decided to get lost
The reality of my situation became apparent after about 5 miles though. Craig was running strong and he absolutely buried me into the ground. I eventually lost sight of him, so I decided to make a push to catch him. However, in the heat of the moment I missed a turn. In all honesty, I might have the absolute worst sense of direction of any human being on the planet! I looked over maps before the trip and noted key corners, but in the thick of it I just completely blew it! I ran up a narrow canyon, crossing back and forth over the creek. I kept looking for the distinct shoe print of the Altra Lone Peaks that Craig was wearing, but with so much water it was almost impossible to make anything out, so I continued on. I eventually hit a dead end so I turned around and went up another canyon. The walls continued to get narrower and I eventually came to a waterfall with a wall behind it. Foiled again! I decided I was in the wrong place. Duh!
I ran back to the last spot where I saw another trail intersecting. I ran back and forth along this 1.5 mile section for the next hour. I had no regard for myself as I was in a complete panic. Looking for Craig’s shoe print was now impossible since I was wearing Lone Peaks as well and I’d covered every inch of ground in this section. I was running through the creek in spots and even got up to my waist in water at one point. It was on… my mind was the epitome of full blown chaos! Eventually, I stopped for a few minutes to gather my thoughts. My next move was to start running back and forth across the bottom of the canyon until I found someone. Eventually, I ran into some hikers who gave me directions and I finally made it out. By the time I found the trail again, I had lost about 2 hours and 20 minutes. I was now 4 hours into my “run” and I’d been out of water for more than an hour, just as it was starting to get hot. I was so physically, emotionally, and mentally drained that I just started crying like a little girl.
A dead end that I ran into
I’d like to be clear about one thing here; I was not panicked because I was scared for my life or scared of being alone out there. I’m experienced with survival in the outdoors so those types of thoughts never crossed my mind. I was panicked because I didn’t want to be the jerk that blew it for Craig. I also didn’t want to make my friends – or even worse, Search & Rescue – have to come find me because I was an idiot.
It took everything in my power to get back. My worry now was that the crew would need to move on to Craig’s next checkpoint and that I’d have to hitch a ride or something. I pushed as hard as I could possibly go. Coming into Hop Valley it had now been over 2 hours since I’d had water and it was starting to get hot. There wasn’t a reliable water source, but I knew I had to drink so I drank out of a very unsafe water source. I’ll choose some stomach issues over heatstroke any day of the week!
Once I got to within a mile and a half of the trailhead, some ladies on horseback came along on the trail. They immediately asked “Are you Josh?” I was so relieved to see them and they had some water and granola bars for me. The best part was they had a phone and called my crew. The boys were literally one minute away from taking off. Scott was on his way to meet me and I eventually made it back safe.
The greatest place on Earth
I was pissed off at myself more than anything. I really wanted to complete the whole traverse, but it clearly became out of the question. I should have ran the back half with Craig instead of trying to keep up with him when he was fresh. In all honesty though, it was probably a blessing in disguise. My IT Band didn’t bother me at all on this run and going any further than I did could have done some major damage. I’m glad I didn’t go back out.
I spent the majority of the rest of my trip helping Matt crew. We had a lot of fun even though we made some really poor decisions along the way, like trying to drive up the canyon in the van and getting pulled over by a ranger. Stupid!
All in all, a fun experience, even though I don’t want a repeat of getting lost like that again. It would have been so much more fun being lost (did I really just say that?) had I not had a deadline to meet. I don’t ever wish to experience full blown panic like that again, that’s for sure! Next time I do something like this I’ll take either a map, or make sure to memorize one before I go out.
Ended up with somewhere between 25 and 28 miles, so I'm calling it 26. I'm so excited that my knee held up and even more excited that I get to actually start running again!
Craig exhausted upon finishing his double
For details about how the other boys trips went, go check out their blogs:
Craig
Scott
Matt
MattVH
Their write-ups are in so much detail that I won't even try to replicate their experiences. Huge congrats to Mr. Lloyd for completing the double crossing! What an amazing feat!
Monday, March 12, 2012
Using Friends To Motivate
I lied when I said I was getting back at it in my last post. I didn't. I tried a few times, but every time I got out my ankle told me to stop. That led to pathetic excuses as to why I couldn't run, then the desire completely diminished. It's been a struggle.
Since things weren't really getting better, I decided to visit an ankle specialist. I predicted what he said before I went in and I was bang on! It was nice talking to somebody that understands the problem though as he was able to offer up some other solutions I hadn't thought of. So was the visit worth it? Definitely worth it for the peace of mind alone. I was officially cleared to start training again.
The week after the visit I worked out a few days at the gym, but the only running I did was mostly for warm-up. I couldn't force myself to get out for any length of time that I consider "a run". Motivation was lacking and I knew the only way I could get out of the funk was with the help of some friends. I talked with my friend Craig who was going through some similar issues and he agreed. Later on that week I got an email from him talking about putting a 50K run together out at Antelope Island. Just what I needed!
On Friday I met up with Craig, Scott, and Matt. I drove separate since they were doing the full 50K and I'd be doing less than half that. My ankle had been feeling great so I figured I was good for 14 or 15 miles at the most. I also told myself that I'd bail and walk back to the car if I had to at any given time. It just wasn't worth the risk at this point.
The run went very well as far as the ankle was concerned. It was sore, but not to the point where I felt like I was doing damage to it. My right ankle (the uninjured one) was also a bit sore when I finished, so I figured that was a good sign. My fitness is nowhere near where I'd like it to be - or what I'm used to - but I figured that would be the case having basically taken 2 months off. Overall I was encouraged with the results of the run; I got 14 miles or so and I feel like that run was exactly what I needed to get motivated again. We'll see what this week brings. Below are a few pictures from the run on Friday:
Since things weren't really getting better, I decided to visit an ankle specialist. I predicted what he said before I went in and I was bang on! It was nice talking to somebody that understands the problem though as he was able to offer up some other solutions I hadn't thought of. So was the visit worth it? Definitely worth it for the peace of mind alone. I was officially cleared to start training again.
The week after the visit I worked out a few days at the gym, but the only running I did was mostly for warm-up. I couldn't force myself to get out for any length of time that I consider "a run". Motivation was lacking and I knew the only way I could get out of the funk was with the help of some friends. I talked with my friend Craig who was going through some similar issues and he agreed. Later on that week I got an email from him talking about putting a 50K run together out at Antelope Island. Just what I needed!
On Friday I met up with Craig, Scott, and Matt. I drove separate since they were doing the full 50K and I'd be doing less than half that. My ankle had been feeling great so I figured I was good for 14 or 15 miles at the most. I also told myself that I'd bail and walk back to the car if I had to at any given time. It just wasn't worth the risk at this point.
The run went very well as far as the ankle was concerned. It was sore, but not to the point where I felt like I was doing damage to it. My right ankle (the uninjured one) was also a bit sore when I finished, so I figured that was a good sign. My fitness is nowhere near where I'd like it to be - or what I'm used to - but I figured that would be the case having basically taken 2 months off. Overall I was encouraged with the results of the run; I got 14 miles or so and I feel like that run was exactly what I needed to get motivated again. We'll see what this week brings. Below are a few pictures from the run on Friday:
Craig, Matt, and Scott enjoying some perfect conditions
Matt running down into the Split Rock Valley
The crew enjoying some early miles together
Me cruising down into Split Rock Valley
Nearing the end of the run near White Rock Bay
Monday, February 6, 2012
Getting Back At It
Injuries are so frustrating! The worst part is when people rub it in by running down the streets that I travel on. Needless to say, it's been a long couple of weeks. With the Wasatch 100 lottery taking place last Saturday though, I felt like I needed some good karma so I made it a point to get out. Nothing big, just some miles on the Jordan River Parkway near my house. I definitely felt the ankle every step of the way, but it didn't really get any worse as I progressed throughout the run. A step in the right direction for sure. So this week I'm focusing on getting back at it. I don't have a plan in place other than running roads the first few days, then hopefully progressing to trails by the week's end. Oh yeah, and ditching the extra 10 pounds I'm currently sporting.
With such uncertainty and such little time to prepare, I've decided not to run the Buffalo Run this year. I'm not too bummed though and I really think I'm making the right decision. I don't know how the ankle will hold up over the next few weeks and I don't feel like I have enough time to prepare for a good performance there, so why waste the money? Plus I've got some really fun stuff in the months of April and May so I'll save my energy for that. And now I don't need to stress about shoe selection either. I'm sticking to the Altras and won't even contemplate another shoe unless I feel like I need 'em late in a race. My hope is that I won't but I'm leaving my options open just in case.
The biggest news is that I drew out in the Wasatch 100 lottery. I still have a smile on my face and I'm so excited to run my "home" race again. The fact that I get to train on the course is huge, so I'm looking to put up a good performance there. I have trouble committing at times unless I can be held accountable, so I'm holding myself accountable right now by stating my intention to go sub-24 at Wasatch. That dang Crimson Cheetah is going to haunt my dreams for the next 7 months so it's time to put up. Talk is cheap though so I plan on doing everything in my power to have the race of my life in September. I have no commitments and no "special someone" in my life for me to feel guilty about ditching out on for a run. No excuses! This is the year I make it happen and it all starts with me getting back at it right now.
With such uncertainty and such little time to prepare, I've decided not to run the Buffalo Run this year. I'm not too bummed though and I really think I'm making the right decision. I don't know how the ankle will hold up over the next few weeks and I don't feel like I have enough time to prepare for a good performance there, so why waste the money? Plus I've got some really fun stuff in the months of April and May so I'll save my energy for that. And now I don't need to stress about shoe selection either. I'm sticking to the Altras and won't even contemplate another shoe unless I feel like I need 'em late in a race. My hope is that I won't but I'm leaving my options open just in case.
The biggest news is that I drew out in the Wasatch 100 lottery. I still have a smile on my face and I'm so excited to run my "home" race again. The fact that I get to train on the course is huge, so I'm looking to put up a good performance there. I have trouble committing at times unless I can be held accountable, so I'm holding myself accountable right now by stating my intention to go sub-24 at Wasatch. That dang Crimson Cheetah is going to haunt my dreams for the next 7 months so it's time to put up. Talk is cheap though so I plan on doing everything in my power to have the race of my life in September. I have no commitments and no "special someone" in my life for me to feel guilty about ditching out on for a run. No excuses! This is the year I make it happen and it all starts with me getting back at it right now.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Back To The Drawing Board
I can't believe it's been an entire month since I've posted! Then again, I haven't had much to post about. Here's the story...
Training was starting to get back on track the first week of the New Year. Then three weeks ago me and the boys went out for a training run out at Lake Mountain. This trail sits just west of Utah Lake and the route we took circumnavigates the mountain itself. When all is said and done it ends up being almost exactly 32 miles. The first 19 to our makeshift aid station went great. I was a little stiff heading back out, but knew I'd loosen up as we got going again. The next 7 miles or so includes lots of rollers... mostly uphill. I followed Craig's lead and we charged every one of the hills. I felt great! The last 6 miles are all almost completely downhill, and this is where my problem started. The left ankle started getting sore and the last 3 miles were torture. I hobbled my way in but knew I had aggravated something. Ultrarunners are idiots; especially me.
This seems to be a fairly consistent pattern for me. I get into training mode and tend to overdo things. The result is almost always an overuse injury. I'm just hoping this one isn't a stress fracture or something. Long story short, I've run 2 days in the last 2 1/2 weeks and the ankle still isn't healed. However, I'm getting back on the wagon this week and just seeing how things hold up. I'll probably start off small then progressively increase mileage as the week rolls on. If everything plays out like I'm hoping, I'll be able to get back on my training schedule and sign up for the Buffalo Run. If at week's end things aren't progressing, I'll bag the Buffalo Run altogether and focus on a few unofficial events coming up in April and May.
Wasatch 100 lottery this Saturday! Crossing my fingers.
Training was starting to get back on track the first week of the New Year. Then three weeks ago me and the boys went out for a training run out at Lake Mountain. This trail sits just west of Utah Lake and the route we took circumnavigates the mountain itself. When all is said and done it ends up being almost exactly 32 miles. The first 19 to our makeshift aid station went great. I was a little stiff heading back out, but knew I'd loosen up as we got going again. The next 7 miles or so includes lots of rollers... mostly uphill. I followed Craig's lead and we charged every one of the hills. I felt great! The last 6 miles are all almost completely downhill, and this is where my problem started. The left ankle started getting sore and the last 3 miles were torture. I hobbled my way in but knew I had aggravated something. Ultrarunners are idiots; especially me.
The crew out for a run at Lake Mountain (photo courtesy of Craig Lloyd)
This seems to be a fairly consistent pattern for me. I get into training mode and tend to overdo things. The result is almost always an overuse injury. I'm just hoping this one isn't a stress fracture or something. Long story short, I've run 2 days in the last 2 1/2 weeks and the ankle still isn't healed. However, I'm getting back on the wagon this week and just seeing how things hold up. I'll probably start off small then progressively increase mileage as the week rolls on. If everything plays out like I'm hoping, I'll be able to get back on my training schedule and sign up for the Buffalo Run. If at week's end things aren't progressing, I'll bag the Buffalo Run altogether and focus on a few unofficial events coming up in April and May.
Wasatch 100 lottery this Saturday! Crossing my fingers.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Transitioning to Wider, Lighter, Faster
Preface: This is not meant to be a shoe review. This is a post about my transition into a better shoe for me. It just so happens that my shoe of choice is a brand and concept that is relatively new, which is why I felt a need to go over some key concepts the shoe has to offer.
My main goal in the off-season this year is to transition into a better shoe; a better shoe for me that is. Shoes are something that should be based on personal preference and form, not necessarily what's the most-hyped or the prettiest. To find personal success as an ultrarunner, I feel that I need to get over my lower leg problems. Posterior tibialis (specifically posterior shin splints) and blisters are the main culprits. Posterior Tib happens when I run on the flats too much, and blisters only present problems in 100 milers.
The objective is to force myself into better form (to prevent the lower leg problems) and a wider shoe (to get over blisters). I really don't buy into the whole minimalist trend that's currently spreading in the running community. Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that minimal shoes force one into good form, but it's not realistic to wear a minimal shoe on long runs with technical trail under your feet. The ideal shoe would be something that's wide, light, promotes good form, and has cushion. Luckily, I have some great friends who've introduced me to the new local shoe brand, Altra.
Altra branded the term "Zero Drop" which is exactly what the shoe offers. Zero drop refers to the difference in ride height between the heel and the forefoot. So there's none of the bulk in the heel that promotes bad form and plenty of cushion for a comfortable ride. This is the most comfortable I've ever worn... hands down. I wear them every day, all day, and they fit like a glove on my foot. I'm only using their road version currently - the Instinct - just to work into the shoe. Just like any "minimal" shoe, you need to start light and really work into them, focusing on a proper midfoot strike and overall form. I have no idea how long the transition will take for me, but so far, so good. I'm up to 6 miles in them and I'm hoping to put in a few back-to-back days in the upcoming weeks.
If the Altras work out on the road, I'll think about switching to their trail shoes that everyone is talking about, the Lone Peaks. In order to keep my mileage and fitness up though, for now I'll stick to what I'm using on the trails. The fact is, I won't REALLY know what's right for me until I put a shoe to the test in an ultra. Luckily, I've got a few months on my hands to sort things out, so there's no time like the present.
My main goal in the off-season this year is to transition into a better shoe; a better shoe for me that is. Shoes are something that should be based on personal preference and form, not necessarily what's the most-hyped or the prettiest. To find personal success as an ultrarunner, I feel that I need to get over my lower leg problems. Posterior tibialis (specifically posterior shin splints) and blisters are the main culprits. Posterior Tib happens when I run on the flats too much, and blisters only present problems in 100 milers.
The objective is to force myself into better form (to prevent the lower leg problems) and a wider shoe (to get over blisters). I really don't buy into the whole minimalist trend that's currently spreading in the running community. Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that minimal shoes force one into good form, but it's not realistic to wear a minimal shoe on long runs with technical trail under your feet. The ideal shoe would be something that's wide, light, promotes good form, and has cushion. Luckily, I have some great friends who've introduced me to the new local shoe brand, Altra.
Altra branded the term "Zero Drop" which is exactly what the shoe offers. Zero drop refers to the difference in ride height between the heel and the forefoot. So there's none of the bulk in the heel that promotes bad form and plenty of cushion for a comfortable ride. This is the most comfortable I've ever worn... hands down. I wear them every day, all day, and they fit like a glove on my foot. I'm only using their road version currently - the Instinct - just to work into the shoe. Just like any "minimal" shoe, you need to start light and really work into them, focusing on a proper midfoot strike and overall form. I have no idea how long the transition will take for me, but so far, so good. I'm up to 6 miles in them and I'm hoping to put in a few back-to-back days in the upcoming weeks.
If the Altras work out on the road, I'll think about switching to their trail shoes that everyone is talking about, the Lone Peaks. In order to keep my mileage and fitness up though, for now I'll stick to what I'm using on the trails. The fact is, I won't REALLY know what's right for me until I put a shoe to the test in an ultra. Luckily, I've got a few months on my hands to sort things out, so there's no time like the present.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Back From Sabbatical
So two weeks probably isn't a sabbatical technically, but it proved to be exactly what I needed; A wake-up call! I've been sleeping like crap, eating worse, and the pity party has been on my tail non-stop. I had ample time to think & reflect, and really focus on what the year ahead is gonna look like. Time to get back at it and celebrate life instead of wollowing in the muck.
I think the most important thing was getting re-focused. And with focus, comes goals and formulating a plan to carry them out. My goals for the year on the racing front are looking quite similar to 2010, with a bit more sprinkled in...
I had also talked about trying to run a fast marathon next year. I'll see how I feel, but if it happens, the only race I can see fitting in there is Salt Lake in April. It'll be a last minute decision but I'll be training hard enough for whatever I do at the Buffalo Run, that I'll be ready if I decide to give it a go.
Wow, now I'm rambling. Time to save some breath for more writing to come. Super excited to get back at it!
I think the most important thing was getting re-focused. And with focus, comes goals and formulating a plan to carry them out. My goals for the year on the racing front are looking quite similar to 2010, with a bit more sprinkled in...
- Buffalo Run (still undecided on 50K, 50 mile, or 100 mile)
- Squaw Peak 50
- Bighorn 100 (if I'm feeling ambitious since it's two weeks after Squaw Peak)
- Speedgoat 50K
- Wasatch 100 (lottery pending) or Bear 100
- Pony Express (50 mile or 100 mile)
- Redemption at Zion with the boys (Craig might have something up his sleeve here)
- King's Peak Double or Utah Triple Crown
- Timp (triple, quad, 24 hour?)
- Stansbury loops with the boys
- I'm sure something else will creep in here... Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim possibly?
- And of course, lots of training runs in the Wasatch
I had also talked about trying to run a fast marathon next year. I'll see how I feel, but if it happens, the only race I can see fitting in there is Salt Lake in April. It'll be a last minute decision but I'll be training hard enough for whatever I do at the Buffalo Run, that I'll be ready if I decide to give it a go.
Wow, now I'm rambling. Time to save some breath for more writing to come. Super excited to get back at it!
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Taking A Break
I haven't had much to say recently, which is pretty apparent in my lack of posts. I've been lost in thought and haven't put forth much effort into anything to be quite honest. I found out the day before Thanksgiving that I'm officially getting divorced, so that's been weighing on my mind. We've been apart for 7 months now and things have finally come to a head. I thought I'd deal with it much better than I have. I thought I went through all the emotions 7 months ago... Turns out that's not the case.
After much deliberation, I've decided that I need to take a break from running for a minute. I posted my intentions on my FRB page yesterday and said that my time frame for this break is indefinite. Well, I'm already itching a bit to get out - especially since today is so nice outside - so I think I need to define this break. Therefore, I've decided to take the next two weeks completely off and just reflect on my life. I'll start running and training again on the 17th, which also happens to be my birthday. How convenient.
The timing for this break actually couldn't be better to be quite honest. It's the off-season, the holidays are upon us, and I'm thinking about what sort of goals I want to make for next year. I'm really looking forward to the next few weeks without the added pressure I tend to put on myself, . I put entirely too much pressure on myself over the last year and I'm actually amazed at what I was able to achieve. I ran the best race of my life at Squaw Peak 3 weeks after she moved out. How I pulled that off I'm still not sure! Then things slowly started to dwindle from there. It's to the point now where getting out to run just isn't fun. And that's why we run, right? It needs to be enjoyable; not feel like a chore. I need to learn to love it again, so it's time to get re-focused and re-centered.
I'll be back in a few weeks after I've buried myself in plenty of books, listened to lots of 80's music, and put on about 8 pounds. Haha!
After much deliberation, I've decided that I need to take a break from running for a minute. I posted my intentions on my FRB page yesterday and said that my time frame for this break is indefinite. Well, I'm already itching a bit to get out - especially since today is so nice outside - so I think I need to define this break. Therefore, I've decided to take the next two weeks completely off and just reflect on my life. I'll start running and training again on the 17th, which also happens to be my birthday. How convenient.
The timing for this break actually couldn't be better to be quite honest. It's the off-season, the holidays are upon us, and I'm thinking about what sort of goals I want to make for next year. I'm really looking forward to the next few weeks without the added pressure I tend to put on myself, . I put entirely too much pressure on myself over the last year and I'm actually amazed at what I was able to achieve. I ran the best race of my life at Squaw Peak 3 weeks after she moved out. How I pulled that off I'm still not sure! Then things slowly started to dwindle from there. It's to the point now where getting out to run just isn't fun. And that's why we run, right? It needs to be enjoyable; not feel like a chore. I need to learn to love it again, so it's time to get re-focused and re-centered.
I'll be back in a few weeks after I've buried myself in plenty of books, listened to lots of 80's music, and put on about 8 pounds. Haha!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
On Injury & Mindset
It's been far too long since the last post, so I thought I'd do a quick update on what's happening with me right now (for those who really care). Probably just a lot of non-sense, but that's what a blog's for, right?!
It's been a month now since The Bear, and in case you're wondering, yes, my shin is still swollen. I had major tendonitis in it - where it hurt to even walk - for about three weeks following the race. Walking around a work conference in New Orleans for four days immediately following the race was comical, to put it lightly. However, I've added a few short runs in the last week or so and I think it's finally coming around. I also had the opportunity to crew and pace my buddy Matt Williams at the Pony Express Trail 50 miler on Friday. The good news is that it didn't bother me one bit during the run. The bad news is that my legs are sore from 15 miles of pacing. Looks like it'll take a little time to get back up to fitness, but I'm ok with that.
Having so much down time has really put me in a strange mindset, however. I don't have a routine by any means, but I feel an absence when such an enormous piece of my life (or two) has been missing. Now just trying to get out the door takes major effort; mental effort, mostly. So this week I'm pushing to run 4 days which I'm hoping gets me back to some sense of normalcy. I hope to see the fitness come around with that as a result.
These last few weeks (and months) have really got me thinking about mental focus and it's role in endurance activities such as ultrarunning. As I've experienced in my life, focus in training is just as important as focus during a race. My training focus has been all over the map this year. There's been some very intense, focus-driven workouts, but I've certainly had many days where I just didn't want to do anything; so I didn't. Everything came to a head on race day though, as my weak focus weighed me down in the early stages, then completely diminished at mile 70. My physical, and especially mental training, didn't properly prepare me for the demands I would see on race day. Don't get me wrong here, I'm very pleased with the result I had on race day all things considered. However, I know that with proper focus - especially on the mental front - I can achieve results that fall more in line with what I'm capable of. (That, and a brighter headlamp so I don't smash my leg into any large rocks next time.)
The question now is, am I willing to put forth the necessary effort to achieve the goals I set out for myself? And in the grand scheme of things, how important are those goals in my life? When it all comes down to it, it's all about priorities. Good thing it's the off-season and I have some time to prioritize my life and my goals for next year. Here's to happy running!
It's been a month now since The Bear, and in case you're wondering, yes, my shin is still swollen. I had major tendonitis in it - where it hurt to even walk - for about three weeks following the race. Walking around a work conference in New Orleans for four days immediately following the race was comical, to put it lightly. However, I've added a few short runs in the last week or so and I think it's finally coming around. I also had the opportunity to crew and pace my buddy Matt Williams at the Pony Express Trail 50 miler on Friday. The good news is that it didn't bother me one bit during the run. The bad news is that my legs are sore from 15 miles of pacing. Looks like it'll take a little time to get back up to fitness, but I'm ok with that.
Having so much down time has really put me in a strange mindset, however. I don't have a routine by any means, but I feel an absence when such an enormous piece of my life (or two) has been missing. Now just trying to get out the door takes major effort; mental effort, mostly. So this week I'm pushing to run 4 days which I'm hoping gets me back to some sense of normalcy. I hope to see the fitness come around with that as a result.
These last few weeks (and months) have really got me thinking about mental focus and it's role in endurance activities such as ultrarunning. As I've experienced in my life, focus in training is just as important as focus during a race. My training focus has been all over the map this year. There's been some very intense, focus-driven workouts, but I've certainly had many days where I just didn't want to do anything; so I didn't. Everything came to a head on race day though, as my weak focus weighed me down in the early stages, then completely diminished at mile 70. My physical, and especially mental training, didn't properly prepare me for the demands I would see on race day. Don't get me wrong here, I'm very pleased with the result I had on race day all things considered. However, I know that with proper focus - especially on the mental front - I can achieve results that fall more in line with what I'm capable of. (That, and a brighter headlamp so I don't smash my leg into any large rocks next time.)
The question now is, am I willing to put forth the necessary effort to achieve the goals I set out for myself? And in the grand scheme of things, how important are those goals in my life? When it all comes down to it, it's all about priorities. Good thing it's the off-season and I have some time to prioritize my life and my goals for next year. Here's to happy running!
Monday, October 3, 2011
2011 Bear 100
Running a hundred miles was an all-consuming thought in preparation for Wasatch last year. Coming into my 2011 focus race - The Bear 100 - however, I had much more on my plate in my personal life, so running became more of an afterthought. I didn't follow a schedule at all this year, but got out and ran only when I felt like it. Doing so helped me keep a more solid grip on reality, but I probably slacked more than I should have. I also didn't focus on my diet or mental preparation nearly as much this year.
Even with the less than stellar training, I felt as though I could go out there and hit my goal of 24 hours. I was planning to run on ability alone, which anyone can tell you doesn't really work when running a one hundred mile endurance run. Silly Josh, when will you learn? When I go out and experience it myself, that's when! I don't do well when people tell me what to do, so I go out and usually find ways to learn my own lessons. Well, I learned a lesson this year and it happened in the last 30 miles of the race.
The climb up from the road wasn't too tough, but it did seem pretty long. What's even worse is when you see people out on course and they tell you how far it is, but then they're way off... Yeah, that happened several times in this race. I did make it to the top though, then dropped down into some sweet single track leading to the lake and the Tony Grove Aid Station (mile 51.8). I took a little extra time here to change socks and drain some blisters, none of which were too bad just yet. However, I knew that if I had a few now, that meant a lot later.
I got back on my way and kept a steady pace. However, I was busy following someone and we missed a turn. The markings were obvious, but I was following him and not the trail. I've done this numerous times and you'd think I'd learn by now, but no. When you're fatigued you do some pretty stupid stuff. Luckily, I only lost 7 or 8 minutes by this little mishap, so nothing too serious. Aside from the miscue, these 19 miles from Tony Grove to Logan River were my best of the race. I was taking care of myself, my head was finally in the game and I was moving great, picking off people along the way. The only other thing of note was playing leapfrog with some guys on horses for about 3 miles, all while inhaling lots of dust. Good times!
I arrived at the Logan River Aid Station (mile 69.5) in pretty good shape and in about 24th place. I swapped out my jacket for one a bit heavier since I was getting cold, then moved on out. For as good as I was feeling on the previous sections, this next section to Lodge (mile 75.8) was terrible. I was starting to get quite tired and my stomach decided to stop processing food again. I almost puked on two separate gels here, so I basically stopped eating during this section. It was a grind. My quads were basically dead at this point and my left IT band started acting up. I've never had a problem with the left one before, so it came as a bit of a surprise to me. Then to top it off, about a mile from the Lodge, my eyes were getting tired and ended up going off trail. I panicked since I didn't know how long it had been since I'd seen the last marker. Eventually though, I gained my wits and just turned out my headlamp. I kept focused on my surroundings, waiting to see other lights coming off the mountain so I could follow them in. After 7 or 8 minutes, two lights came bounding at me and I was able to find the trail again. Another catastrophe averted.
I came into the Lodge and was mentally defeated. I decided to take my sweet time here and just enjoy the rest of the experience because I knew I wouldn't make my goal. I ate some soup, grabbed my waist pack and filled it with things non-gel, drank some Coke and finally headed out the door. It was a 30 minute stop - by far my longest of the race - but also much needed I think. I knew I wouldn't finish if I didn't take the time to get back in the game here.
I clicked off the next two sections, basically keeping my placing in the race and just moving forward. I came off the climb down into Beaver Creek (mile 85.3) and was faced with a river crossing. Since the forest service wouldn't allow them to build a bridge here, a makeshift log was put into place where you crossed. With a long stick in one hand to keep my balance, I made my way across and at about the half way mark I slipped and went into the drink; soaked from the waist down. Nothing like a nice late night swim! Once I got to the aid station I changed my shoes and socks and invited my dad to join me for the last 15 miles. I knew I'd be slow since my knee was hurting so bad and I had a couple real nasty blisters.
About a mile out of the aid station I was running along and missed seeing a large rock. It smacked me in the middle of my shin while my leg was swinging forward full-force. It took me a second to realize what had happened, but I finally stopped for a moment to grimace in pain. Then around two miles out from the aid we headed straight down a long, open road. We didn't notice any course markings, but thought we'd keep moving ahead. Earlier in the race on the long, open, obvious sections like this, the markings were quite a ways apart so with that thinking in mind we kept going, and going, and going. Finally the road started to bend and we saw another runner out ahead of us. We all grouped together (by then another runner was with us) and we decided to go back. My dad went ahead and found where we'd missed the turn and showed us. The marking was nailed to a post where it had obviously been tampered with as only the top portion was left under the nail. It was probably 3/4 of an inch to an inch long and the rest had obviously been torn off. Come to find out later that some ATV'ers had taken down the marking there. So there's another 45 minutes wasted! I was ready to quit, but I'm stubborn so I kept moving forward. My dad stayed back and made a huge arrow on the road out of sticks and branches. We didn't want any other runners to have to experience what we just went through.
After moving through the Ranger Dip Aid Station (mile 92.2) and grinding up the climb just past it, I knew I was in for a long, painful downhill. It felt like someone was driving nail into my shin with every step. Then every time I had to really slow down or stop, my IT band would start giving me fits. Back and forth all the way down the mountain. At times the pain was so bad I would just be laughing. You know the kind of hurt where it's so bad the only thing you can do is that weird, teeth-clinching laugh? Yeah, that was me for about 5 miles straight. Once we got off the downhill though, I was able to run it in the rest of the way at a fairly decent pace. I eventually arrived and crossed the line in 27:44:46, 50th place overall.
It's been over a week and I've had some time to let things sink in. I ran a great race through 70 miles, then completely imploded the last 30. I learned my lesson and that lesson is that you can't fake 100 miles. I'm very proud of myself for sticking it out though and finishing such a tough race. A huge thanks to my parents for being there with me and helping me through it. Couldn't have done it without them. Also a thanks to all the volunteers and organizers. I've heard people rag on this race in the past for poor course markings, but I didn't have any major complaints about it. Maybe on those long, obvious stretches they could put markings closer together so you never have to wonder about things. Overall though, it was marked very well.
You've really gotta put in the time and mental focus to be able to do well in these races. I know what I'm capable of. Now it's just a question of whether or not I'm willing to put in the effort to get there. That's a question I can't answer today, unfortunately. Life's responsibilities will always take precedence over running. However, if the desire and time is there, I'd love to see what I'm capable of doing.
Even with the less than stellar training, I felt as though I could go out there and hit my goal of 24 hours. I was planning to run on ability alone, which anyone can tell you doesn't really work when running a one hundred mile endurance run. Silly Josh, when will you learn? When I go out and experience it myself, that's when! I don't do well when people tell me what to do, so I go out and usually find ways to learn my own lessons. Well, I learned a lesson this year and it happened in the last 30 miles of the race.
Race morning came and things were calm. One thing about the start line of a hundred miler is that there's no nerves involved, at least for me. You have an entire day ahead of you so there's nothing to be nervous about. So the start came and went, and the train of lights made its way up the mountain. I felt ok on the climb, but not great. I was also having difficulty getting my head into it. There's definitely a place you need to put your mind in a long race, and mine wasn't there. I made it to the top of the climb and cruised to the Logan Peak Aid Station (mile 10.5). After shoving my face full of strawberries and cantaloupe, I went on my way and continued with the battle in my head.
I know this may sound strange to a non-runner (or maybe even a runner), but I don't remember much about the next 20 miles or so. My legs were on auto-pilot and I was just moving along. I do remember the scenery being pretty fantastic, and I do remember seeing my parents at the Leatham Hollow Aid Station (mile 19.6), but that's about the extent of it.
After moving through the Cowley Aid Station (mile 29.9), it was really starting to heat up. I slowed down quite a bit, but remained ahead of my splits. It was between here and Right Hand Fork (mile 36.9) that my stomach started to revolt a bit, so I had to slow down when I ate and give it a few minutes to digest. The heat was starting to take its toll and I started thinking about how easy it would be to drop. I honestly didn't even care any longer, I just wanted to be done. I just kept grinding at it and eventually ended up at Temple Fork (mile 45.1) where I sat down for a minute, wiped off my face and talked with my parents. I was wiped out from the heat, but it was only 3:00 pm so I became demoralized at having to face the heat any longer. However, my dad mentioned that the next section would be in the shade. I didn't know if he was just trying to get me moving, but it worked and the next section was almost completely shaded. What a relief!
The climb up from the road wasn't too tough, but it did seem pretty long. What's even worse is when you see people out on course and they tell you how far it is, but then they're way off... Yeah, that happened several times in this race. I did make it to the top though, then dropped down into some sweet single track leading to the lake and the Tony Grove Aid Station (mile 51.8). I took a little extra time here to change socks and drain some blisters, none of which were too bad just yet. However, I knew that if I had a few now, that meant a lot later.
I got back on my way and kept a steady pace. However, I was busy following someone and we missed a turn. The markings were obvious, but I was following him and not the trail. I've done this numerous times and you'd think I'd learn by now, but no. When you're fatigued you do some pretty stupid stuff. Luckily, I only lost 7 or 8 minutes by this little mishap, so nothing too serious. Aside from the miscue, these 19 miles from Tony Grove to Logan River were my best of the race. I was taking care of myself, my head was finally in the game and I was moving great, picking off people along the way. The only other thing of note was playing leapfrog with some guys on horses for about 3 miles, all while inhaling lots of dust. Good times!
I arrived at the Logan River Aid Station (mile 69.5) in pretty good shape and in about 24th place. I swapped out my jacket for one a bit heavier since I was getting cold, then moved on out. For as good as I was feeling on the previous sections, this next section to Lodge (mile 75.8) was terrible. I was starting to get quite tired and my stomach decided to stop processing food again. I almost puked on two separate gels here, so I basically stopped eating during this section. It was a grind. My quads were basically dead at this point and my left IT band started acting up. I've never had a problem with the left one before, so it came as a bit of a surprise to me. Then to top it off, about a mile from the Lodge, my eyes were getting tired and ended up going off trail. I panicked since I didn't know how long it had been since I'd seen the last marker. Eventually though, I gained my wits and just turned out my headlamp. I kept focused on my surroundings, waiting to see other lights coming off the mountain so I could follow them in. After 7 or 8 minutes, two lights came bounding at me and I was able to find the trail again. Another catastrophe averted.
I came into the Lodge and was mentally defeated. I decided to take my sweet time here and just enjoy the rest of the experience because I knew I wouldn't make my goal. I ate some soup, grabbed my waist pack and filled it with things non-gel, drank some Coke and finally headed out the door. It was a 30 minute stop - by far my longest of the race - but also much needed I think. I knew I wouldn't finish if I didn't take the time to get back in the game here.
I clicked off the next two sections, basically keeping my placing in the race and just moving forward. I came off the climb down into Beaver Creek (mile 85.3) and was faced with a river crossing. Since the forest service wouldn't allow them to build a bridge here, a makeshift log was put into place where you crossed. With a long stick in one hand to keep my balance, I made my way across and at about the half way mark I slipped and went into the drink; soaked from the waist down. Nothing like a nice late night swim! Once I got to the aid station I changed my shoes and socks and invited my dad to join me for the last 15 miles. I knew I'd be slow since my knee was hurting so bad and I had a couple real nasty blisters.
About a mile out of the aid station I was running along and missed seeing a large rock. It smacked me in the middle of my shin while my leg was swinging forward full-force. It took me a second to realize what had happened, but I finally stopped for a moment to grimace in pain. Then around two miles out from the aid we headed straight down a long, open road. We didn't notice any course markings, but thought we'd keep moving ahead. Earlier in the race on the long, open, obvious sections like this, the markings were quite a ways apart so with that thinking in mind we kept going, and going, and going. Finally the road started to bend and we saw another runner out ahead of us. We all grouped together (by then another runner was with us) and we decided to go back. My dad went ahead and found where we'd missed the turn and showed us. The marking was nailed to a post where it had obviously been tampered with as only the top portion was left under the nail. It was probably 3/4 of an inch to an inch long and the rest had obviously been torn off. Come to find out later that some ATV'ers had taken down the marking there. So there's another 45 minutes wasted! I was ready to quit, but I'm stubborn so I kept moving forward. My dad stayed back and made a huge arrow on the road out of sticks and branches. We didn't want any other runners to have to experience what we just went through.
After moving through the Ranger Dip Aid Station (mile 92.2) and grinding up the climb just past it, I knew I was in for a long, painful downhill. It felt like someone was driving nail into my shin with every step. Then every time I had to really slow down or stop, my IT band would start giving me fits. Back and forth all the way down the mountain. At times the pain was so bad I would just be laughing. You know the kind of hurt where it's so bad the only thing you can do is that weird, teeth-clinching laugh? Yeah, that was me for about 5 miles straight. Once we got off the downhill though, I was able to run it in the rest of the way at a fairly decent pace. I eventually arrived and crossed the line in 27:44:46, 50th place overall.
It's been over a week and I've had some time to let things sink in. I ran a great race through 70 miles, then completely imploded the last 30. I learned my lesson and that lesson is that you can't fake 100 miles. I'm very proud of myself for sticking it out though and finishing such a tough race. A huge thanks to my parents for being there with me and helping me through it. Couldn't have done it without them. Also a thanks to all the volunteers and organizers. I've heard people rag on this race in the past for poor course markings, but I didn't have any major complaints about it. Maybe on those long, obvious stretches they could put markings closer together so you never have to wonder about things. Overall though, it was marked very well.
You've really gotta put in the time and mental focus to be able to do well in these races. I know what I'm capable of. Now it's just a question of whether or not I'm willing to put in the effort to get there. That's a question I can't answer today, unfortunately. Life's responsibilities will always take precedence over running. However, if the desire and time is there, I'd love to see what I'm capable of doing.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Pacing at the Wasatch 100
I had the opportunity to pace my friend Darrell Phippen from Brighton to the finish at the Wasatch 100. The race boasts around 27,000 feet of vertical gain and 26,000 feet in descent over the course of 100 miles. The section I was running is easily the toughest 25 miles of the course, with over 6,000 feet of gain and nearly 10,000 feet of descent.
I was tracking Darrell’s progress online throughout the day and comparing his splits with the pace chart he gave me. He was expecting to arrive at Brighton around 2:00 am. He was right on his splits until he hit Lambs Canyon (mile 53) where he experienced some stomach issues, so I knew we'd have some time to make up once he got to me. I got to Brighton around 1:00 am, mostly because I don't trust technology and I wanted to make sure I was there in case the computer splits were off at all. It was fun hanging out and talking with other crew members, pacers, and runners.
Finally, Darrell arrived at about 2:50 am . He said he was feeling good, although I could tell he was a little bit incoherent. He spent some time getting some food in him and changing shoes. He said his feet were really sore and he was looking forward to jumping into his Hokas for the final stretch. After a long stop, we left Brighton at about 3:20 am, 80 minutes behind schedule. I formulated a plan to help him get his goal, but right out of Brighton he wasn't interested at all. He would laugh every time I talked about it. However, we cut 20 minutes off his split to the next aid station, Ant Knolls (mile 80).
I could tell he was still a bit out of it when we arrived at Ant Knolls. He sat down and had some broth and a few things to eat. After a 13 minute stop, we were back at it. I told him he still had a chance to get his goal, but he'd have to work for it. Once again, all I got was a laugh. He still wasn't interested. During this section we also both started getting tired. To make sure we kept up on the pace and didn't fall asleep, I started asking him all sorts of random questions. I also mentioned that at any point he could just tell me to shut up and I wouldn't be offended. We had a few laughs and were able to hit his pace target for this section.
We arrived at Pole Line Pass (mile 83) just as light was breaking. Since this was the last drop bag spot, we agreed that we'd wait 20 minutes or so before leaving, that way we didn't have to carry our lights and cold gear to the finish. Darrell decided to take a 15 minute nap by the fire. I was talking with one of the volunteers there who said she had a brother named Darrell who looked just like him. When I woke him up, I could tell he had no idea where he was. To add to the confusion, this lady immediately starts talking to him about her brother Darrell. He had no idea what was going on. Finally, after about 2 minutes he snapped out of it and we got him out of the aid station.
From this point, I knew we didn’t have a shot at 30 hours unless he could muster up something special. So when I mentioned the 30 hour belt buckle, he said he’ll just borrow mine when he needs it. Obviously, he still wasn’t interested. The section to Rock Springs (mile 87) was right on his target pace, but I knew there was no way to get 30 hours now; It was all about getting him to the finish. At Rock Springs I pulled out his Payday bar that he wanted for breakfast. He ate about half of it as we headed out of the aid station.
I knew the next section would be tough with The Dive and The Plunge in front of us. These two sections are extremely steep and covered with a layer of dust several inches deep. However, they were a blessing in disguise because they got Darrell running again instead of just trotting. At the bottom of The Plunge we started working hard and passing a few people. Darrell even started running some of the short uphill sections. My jaw completely dropped! This guy had over 90 miles in his legs and he was running like he had just started. We ended up passing 9 runners on this section and were 20 minutes ahead of his split for this section. It was incredible!
We arrived at Pot Bottom (mile 93) and filled up Darrell’s bottles. Suddenly, he was out of there. I told him I’d catch up since I still needed to refill my bottles and drink some Coke. I eventually caught up to him after he’d passed 3 more people. Then we passed one more on the climb out of Pot Bottom. Once we dropped down for the final descent, he was running hard again. We passed 3 more people en route to the finish. As we arrived at The Homestead, I gave him a high five then peeled off as he ran the final stretch to the finishing banner. We cut 15 more minutes off his split for the last section and he finished in 30 hours and 33 minutes. What an incredible experience! Darrell did great and was able to shave off an hour from his finishing time last year. I was so impressed with his climbing all day and especially with his downhill gear those final 10 miles or so.
As for me, I felt great the whole run. The legs weren’t even a touch sore afterwards. My feet were pretty tired though. I had bought a new pair of shoes for The Bear 100 in two weeks and I wore them on this run. It’s the same shoe I race in, so it wasn’t a big deal just putting them on and running 25 miles straight out of the box. The problem was, I wasn’t prepared for the structure of a brand new shoe. I’m used to running in my old Wildcats that have over 1,000 miles on them. I raced Wasatch last year in them, the Buffalo Run 50 and Squaw Peak 50 this year, not to mention all the adventure runs and big training runs this year. I love them and will probably run in them til they fall off my feet. Because of the foot fatigue I felt in the new shoe though, I’m rethinking my strategy for The Bear. I’ll probably start the race in the old trusty shoe, then change them out for the new ones part way through the race when I’m in need of more cushion.
Congrats to all the finishers at the Wasatch 100. I had an incredible time out there and was amazed at all the stories I heard. Hopefully, I can draw out next year and run this one again. But first, The Bear 100 is less than two weeks away. The training is done and now I just gotta go out and do it.
I was tracking Darrell’s progress online throughout the day and comparing his splits with the pace chart he gave me. He was expecting to arrive at Brighton around 2:00 am. He was right on his splits until he hit Lambs Canyon (mile 53) where he experienced some stomach issues, so I knew we'd have some time to make up once he got to me. I got to Brighton around 1:00 am, mostly because I don't trust technology and I wanted to make sure I was there in case the computer splits were off at all. It was fun hanging out and talking with other crew members, pacers, and runners.
Finally, Darrell arrived at about 2:50 am . He said he was feeling good, although I could tell he was a little bit incoherent. He spent some time getting some food in him and changing shoes. He said his feet were really sore and he was looking forward to jumping into his Hokas for the final stretch. After a long stop, we left Brighton at about 3:20 am, 80 minutes behind schedule. I formulated a plan to help him get his goal, but right out of Brighton he wasn't interested at all. He would laugh every time I talked about it. However, we cut 20 minutes off his split to the next aid station, Ant Knolls (mile 80).
I could tell he was still a bit out of it when we arrived at Ant Knolls. He sat down and had some broth and a few things to eat. After a 13 minute stop, we were back at it. I told him he still had a chance to get his goal, but he'd have to work for it. Once again, all I got was a laugh. He still wasn't interested. During this section we also both started getting tired. To make sure we kept up on the pace and didn't fall asleep, I started asking him all sorts of random questions. I also mentioned that at any point he could just tell me to shut up and I wouldn't be offended. We had a few laughs and were able to hit his pace target for this section.
We arrived at Pole Line Pass (mile 83) just as light was breaking. Since this was the last drop bag spot, we agreed that we'd wait 20 minutes or so before leaving, that way we didn't have to carry our lights and cold gear to the finish. Darrell decided to take a 15 minute nap by the fire. I was talking with one of the volunteers there who said she had a brother named Darrell who looked just like him. When I woke him up, I could tell he had no idea where he was. To add to the confusion, this lady immediately starts talking to him about her brother Darrell. He had no idea what was going on. Finally, after about 2 minutes he snapped out of it and we got him out of the aid station.
From this point, I knew we didn’t have a shot at 30 hours unless he could muster up something special. So when I mentioned the 30 hour belt buckle, he said he’ll just borrow mine when he needs it. Obviously, he still wasn’t interested. The section to Rock Springs (mile 87) was right on his target pace, but I knew there was no way to get 30 hours now; It was all about getting him to the finish. At Rock Springs I pulled out his Payday bar that he wanted for breakfast. He ate about half of it as we headed out of the aid station.
I knew the next section would be tough with The Dive and The Plunge in front of us. These two sections are extremely steep and covered with a layer of dust several inches deep. However, they were a blessing in disguise because they got Darrell running again instead of just trotting. At the bottom of The Plunge we started working hard and passing a few people. Darrell even started running some of the short uphill sections. My jaw completely dropped! This guy had over 90 miles in his legs and he was running like he had just started. We ended up passing 9 runners on this section and were 20 minutes ahead of his split for this section. It was incredible!
We arrived at Pot Bottom (mile 93) and filled up Darrell’s bottles. Suddenly, he was out of there. I told him I’d catch up since I still needed to refill my bottles and drink some Coke. I eventually caught up to him after he’d passed 3 more people. Then we passed one more on the climb out of Pot Bottom. Once we dropped down for the final descent, he was running hard again. We passed 3 more people en route to the finish. As we arrived at The Homestead, I gave him a high five then peeled off as he ran the final stretch to the finishing banner. We cut 15 more minutes off his split for the last section and he finished in 30 hours and 33 minutes. What an incredible experience! Darrell did great and was able to shave off an hour from his finishing time last year. I was so impressed with his climbing all day and especially with his downhill gear those final 10 miles or so.
As for me, I felt great the whole run. The legs weren’t even a touch sore afterwards. My feet were pretty tired though. I had bought a new pair of shoes for The Bear 100 in two weeks and I wore them on this run. It’s the same shoe I race in, so it wasn’t a big deal just putting them on and running 25 miles straight out of the box. The problem was, I wasn’t prepared for the structure of a brand new shoe. I’m used to running in my old Wildcats that have over 1,000 miles on them. I raced Wasatch last year in them, the Buffalo Run 50 and Squaw Peak 50 this year, not to mention all the adventure runs and big training runs this year. I love them and will probably run in them til they fall off my feet. Because of the foot fatigue I felt in the new shoe though, I’m rethinking my strategy for The Bear. I’ll probably start the race in the old trusty shoe, then change them out for the new ones part way through the race when I’m in need of more cushion.
Congrats to all the finishers at the Wasatch 100. I had an incredible time out there and was amazed at all the stories I heard. Hopefully, I can draw out next year and run this one again. But first, The Bear 100 is less than two weeks away. The training is done and now I just gotta go out and do it.
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